RANDOM Letters

Fight with Regency Outdoor Advertising? Bring it On

I read last week that Regency Outdoor Advertising claims to be “baffled and perplexed” at the city’s demand that they vacate the location on Gaffey Street and the end of the 110 freeway. That claim is absurd and dishonest. In reality, it is more likely that Regency is frustrated that they can’t gaslight our community into selling away our public safety.

The San Pedro residents have been clear over many years that we want the billboard down. The City acquired the land that the billboard was built on for the sole purpose to clean up the site and have the sign taken down as soon as the lease would expire.

This is about more than aesthetics; this is a public safety issue. Over many years there have been numerous incidents of crime, drug dealing, and dangerous activity in the area shielded by the billboard. We, the community, followed the law and respected the rights of the billboard company. When we acquired the land, there were still several years left on the Regency lease. So, we waited patiently. Before the lease finally expired in December of 2022, the city repeatedly advised the company that the sign had to come down at the end of the lease term. Our position was clear and there was no ambiguity. But now, Regency has chosen to ignore our rights and the law by refusing to vacate the site.

Regency is trying to gaslight us by claiming that keeping that sign on public land is good for the community. They claim that they want to partner with the City to fund our many needs. This is a laughable claim. First, their rental payments were a paltry $1,100 per month over many years - hardly a stream of income to solve any community issues. Second, Regency has chosen to hold over on the property and has refused to communicate with their landlord, the City. For that reason alone, Regency is clearly not the type of partner that any rational party would want to rely upon.

Regency’s empty promises and disrespect for our community are motivated by greed and driven by dishonesty. Now, the West Hollywood-based company finds itself to be a common squatter on someone else’s land - ours. The lease is over and Regency needs to do the right thing - take the sign down and go away.

But, if they don’t, we’ll see them in court.

Councilmember Tim McOsker

Los Angeles City Council District 15

ILWU SCDC Open Letter of Support for UTLA: Beyond Recovery

Dear President Goldberg, My name is Mickey Chavez.

I am President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Southern California District Council (SCDC). The SCDC coordinates political and legislative activity for the ILWU, representing over 20,000 workers from Fresno to San Diego.

We thank you for your tire- a long life. And of course, that is true. But I’m not crying over you. I’m crying for us. We need 10,000 more of you, not one less as you leave us. less service to our communities and appreciate your attention to this letter. Many of our members are parents of children enrolled in LAUSD. As parents, we are very concerned about the lack of progress being made in negotiations between LAUSD and the United Teachers of Los Angeles. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted school-aged children throughout the world. As we adapt to a new normal, it is critical our students receive a quality education without interruption. Teachers educate, support, guide, and play an important role in the lives of our children.

The Right despises you because you’re the Christian they fake-claim to be themselves. You’ve lived like a true Christian — humble, kind, forgiving, and always making sure your actions matched your words. You could have had a lucrative post-presidency, raking in the big bucks by sitting on corporate boards and investing in growth capitalism (greed).

Instead, you chose to be a carpenter. You spent your weekends for free building homes for the poor. Most of us had never heard the words “Habitat for Humanity” before you. You set up a center to promote democracy and you personally traveled all over the world to help oversee free and fair elections. For decades you did this — until sadly we needed you to protect us from our own anti-democracy authoritarians at home.

You also traveled the world helping to eradicate disease and perhaps save the lives of millions. For the better part of the three decades after you returned to Plains you wrote nearly a book a year. Few presidents have been as literarily prolific. Who would’ve imagined, almost a quarter of the way through the 21st century, that simply not being an illiterate was the new bar for a politician? You set the highest of goals: Thinking matters. Words matter. Reading and more reading is essential. Listening to others, and caring about what they say and what they need is everything.

The elected officers and delegates of the ILWU SCDC offer our unanimous support to UTLA in their struggles to negotiate a fair contract. LAUSD currently holds nearly $5 Billion in reserves.

We urge you to take a more active role in ensuring LAUSD Superintendent Carvalho and his negotiating teamwork in the best interest of LAUSD students and negotiate a fair contract with UTLA. We would also remind Superintendent Carvalho that California, unlike Florida, is not a rightto-work state.

We hope this matter is resolved quickly so our children can maintain the stable learning environment they deserve. We as parents believe that investing in teachers means investing in our children. LAUSD Board Members put the interests of the students first. We expect that your hired staff accepts the same responsibility.

Again, thank you for your service.

You never started a war and when Iran kidnapped Americans as hostages and held them for over a year, you didn’t retaliate by wiping out Iran. You were not on the left (you signed the Hyde Amendment and you brought back required registration for the draft, but years ago you said you regretted both and today, your idea of a Democrat is much closer to Bernie Sanders and AOC than, say, to the former senator, Joe Biden).

Speaking of which, one thing I remember about that day in your presidential box was that’s where I met Joe Biden for the first time.

I guess he heard you had quite a spread of food so he just popped in to grab a plate of goodies. He saw me there with you and flipped out with glee. “I was raised in the Flint of Pennsylvania!” he exclaimed. Like someone who was proud of the comparison, and I was happy he made it. I sat and had an intense talk with Biden in that dining area of your box, and 12 Biden F-bombs later, I decided I liked him.

I know that you’ve lovingly decided to spend your final days with your family. So I haven’t called or emailed or texted. If your family wants to read this to you because it’ll bring a smile, then great. But mostly I wanted to give the public a chance to join with me and thank you for what you have done for humanity and for this planet. Please take all this gratitude with you. Please know that you mattered to all of us, you made a huge difference, you fought for those who had the least, and for those deemed to be the last you did your best to make them first.

Jimmy, we love you.